Hollyoaks has revealed the fate of Joel Dexter following serial killer Breda McQueen's attack.
Last week left off with Joel (Rory Douglas-Speed) potentially having been killed by Breda (Moya Brady), who'd knocked him over the head with her bible after discovering his affair with Goldie (Chelsee Healey).
Monday's first-look episode on E4 picked up with Breda in a state of sheer panic as she prepared to dump Joel's body, when Goldie called to tell her that Jack had fished up a corpse in the bay.
Before Breda could even process the news, Joel started to wake up and wanted some answers on what she'd done to him! In a panic, Breda resorted to bribery to keep the priest quiet.
Breda vowed to give her blessing to Joel and Goldie's forbidden romance in spite of her religious objections, if he agreed never to mention the attack to anyone.
"You will destroy my family if you tell her. I'll even give you both my blessing. Joel, I am begging you as a man of the cloth. I'll forgive your sin if you forgive mine," she promised.
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"I'm not making any promises," the priest warned.
Yet when he reunited with Goldie later, Joel didn't mention a word about the attack and even assured her that he'd got Breda's blessing for the relationship.
While that drama was unfolding, Lisa (Rachel Adedeji), Walter (Trevor A Toussaint) and Martine (Kéllé Bryan) were summoned by the police and told that the body fished up in the bay was Lisa's father, Louis Loveday.
The heartbroken family demanded answers, but were told police planned to speak with the last person known to have seen Louis alive — Breda McQueen
Viewers know that Louis was actually one of the bad dads murdered by Breda as part of her vendetta. In her police interrogation, Breda threw suspicion on Martine and Leela because of Louis' affairs.
"I'm not one to cast aspersions, but you know what they say: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," she hinted.
This redirected the police back to the family, with Leela (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) admitting that Louis had written her a letter confessing his sins and begging for a second chance.
What none of them actually know is that Breda actually forced Louis to write that letter shortly before his murder as a way to cover her tracks.
At the close of the episode, the police told Lisa Loveday that they believe the village's mysterious serial killer is responsible for her father's death.
"Forensics have found evidence related to the body that could change everything," the detective told Lisa and Breda. "I'm pretty sure it's going to lead us straight to the killer. Their days are numbered."
That was exactly what Breda didn't want to hear...
Hollyoaks airs Mondays through Fridays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first-look episodes airing on E4 at 7pm.
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Digital Spy Soap Scoop video – hit play below for all the latest Hollyoaks spoilers, as Maxine has a living funeral and Breda worries when a body is found.
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